Published on May 11 2022 10:17 am Last Updated on May 11 2022 10:18 am

Governor JB Pritzker has proclaimed May Childhood Drowning Prevention Month in Illinois, which serves as a time to remind parents of the importance of constantly supervising children when they are in or near water to prevent accidental drowning deaths.

In 2021, 18 Illinois children lost their lives to accidental drowning: eight in pools; three in bathtubs; two in lakes; two in ponds; and one each in a creek, a river and a hot tub. All eight of the children who drowned in pools were age 5 and younger.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 14. For every child who dies from drowning, another eight receive emergency department care for non-fatal drowning.

“A child can drown in seconds, in silence and in as little as one inch of water,” said Illinois DCFS Director Marc D. Smith. “We can prevent the tragedy of childhood drowning by actively watching our children any time they are in or around water and practicing ‘reach supervision’ so an adult is always just an arm’s reach away from children in water.”

Follow these safety tips to help protect children and prevent water-related tragedy:

Swimming pools and hot tubs

Ponds, fountains and retention ponds

For more information and water safety resources, including posters, brochures and a coloring book for children, visit the DCFS website at www2.illinois.gov/DCFS and click on Safe Kids > Health and Safety Tips for Children > Water Safety.

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